Dr. William Aerni, of Aerni Dental, says it’s crucial to your overall health to replace missing teeth
By Patricia Nugent
The atmosphere at Aerni Dental is not like a traditional dental office (intimidating, non-personal, foreboding). In fact, it’s intentionally the opposite of that. Overlooking the wooden metro parks in Strongsville, the welcoming building features rustic wood-trimmed floor-to-ceiling windows that offer a majestic panoramic view of the Metroparks. The homey environment includes a roaring fireplace in the reception area and an expansive wood deck from which you can hear the rushing river below. “Sometimes patients come early to spend a few minutes out on our deck, and we don’t mind that,” says Dr. William Aerni, who specializes in dental implants, reconstructive and preventative dentistry. “We pride ourselves on creating an environment that puts patients at ease.”
All I Want for Christmas
“Nearly half the people in the United States are missing one or more teeth,” he says. “That’s a staggering statistic. People who don’t replace missing teeth are putting themselves at risk for more tooth loss, which can change a person’s facial form and change their bite, which can lead to TMJ problems.”
Luckily, the technology behind implant dentistry has advanced at warp speed over the years. Dr. Aerni has been at the forefront of the procedure since he began performing implants back in 1991.
“Today, the process is more accurate and less invasive than it used to be,” he explains. “Thanks to our 3-D cone beam imaging and CADCAM technologies, we are able to examine a 3-D model of a patient’s jawbone and place an implant with precision. When a tooth is non-restorable, we remove what’s there and put a dental implant in its place to replace the root of the tooth. We attach a healing crown that looks natural all in one visit. The healing crown stays in place for four to six months, then a final crown is fabricated to give you back your beautiful smile.”
“Since we have CADCAM technologies in our office, it gives us greater flexibility to provide the final crown with more accuracy and is less invasive than traditional techniques of taking a physical impression (no goop is needed),” he says. “All of this is provided right here at my office.”
Be Wary of the Cascade Effect
Dr. Aerni says some patients don’t bother to replace molars in the back since they aren’t visible when they smile, but this is a mistake. If you consider the physics of the mouth, and think of the jaw as a nutcracker, the force nearest the hinge gets the most impact, up to 500 pounds per square inch when we eat, and 3,000 psi when clenching during REM sleep. This is why God made us with multiple rooted large molars, he notes.
With that amount of pressure, leaving space without a tooth puts excessive pressure on and creates lack of support for the rest of your teeth, which can cause a cascade of future problems for your remaining dentition leading to more tooth loss.
“I hope people fully realize how important their teeth are to their overall wellness,” he says. “Dr. Michael F. Rosen, M.D., at the Cleveland Clinic, did a study and wrote a book called The Real Age Makeover. The book talks about healthy longevity and the number one category was a healthy dentition with no infections and no missing teeth, adding seven years to your life expectancy. This is amazing. I have preached this for 34 years in my practice to my patients. If you are having problems with your teeth, I invite you to my practice for a free consultation and CT scan.”
Aerni Dental is located at 11177 Pearl Road, in Strongsville. The Aerni Dental team provides general dentistry, implants, crowns, orthodontics and cosmetic enhancement. Call 440-390-3690 to schedule a complimentary consultation and x-rays for orthodontics, dental implants, or visit AerniDental.com to see a video about implants.